Cycloaliphatic polyphosphite

Abstract

A polymeric polyphosphite and copolymeric polyphosphite is described which contains a cycloaliphatic moiety, preferably cyclohexane dimethanol, in the polyphosphite backbone chain. Incorporation of the polymeric polyphosphite into synthetic polymers reduces the yellowness index of any polymer into which the polymeric polyphosphite additive has been added, as well as increased hydrolytic stability as well as increased resistance to migration in food packaging.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A polymeric polyphosphite containing from 2 to 1000 repeating units of the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which:
 R 2  is derived from a monohydroxy alcohol R 2 —OH end-capping group and is selected from the group consisting of
 a C 1-20  alkyl group, a C 3-22  alkenyl group, a C 6-40  cycloalkyl, a C 6  aryl, a C 6-40  aryl alkyl and Y—OH; 
 
 R 7  and R 9  are methylene groups; 
 R 8  is a cyclohexylene group; 
 a and b are 1; 
 and from 1 to 1000 repeating units of the formula: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which:
 Y is selected from the group consisting of a C 2-40  alkylene group, a C 2-40  alkyl lactone, a C 3-40  cycloalkylene group, a C 6  arylene group and a C 6-40  aryl alkylene; 
 m ranges from 5 to 20; 
 said polyphosphite being terminated adjacent the —P(OR 2 )—group of the formula above by a group R 1 O—, and terminated at the other end of the chain by a group —P(OR 3 )(OR 4 ), in which each of R 1 , R 3 , and R 4 , which may be the same or different, has one of the meanings given for R 2 . 
 
       
     
     
       2. The polymeric polyphosphite of  claim 1  wherein
 R 2  comprises a C 6-10  cycloalkyl group. 
 
     
     
       3. The polymeric polyphosphite of  claim 1 , wherein
 Y is a —CH 2 CH 2 — or —CH(CH 3 )CH 2 — group. 
 
     
     
       4. The polymeric polyphosphite of  claim 1 , wherein
 R 2  is a C 10-20  alkyl group. 
 
     
     
       5. The polymeric polyphosphite of  claim 1 ,
 which contains from 10 to 1,000 units of Formula A. 
 
     
     
       6. A polymer composition which comprises
 a synthetic polymer, and 
 a copolymeric polyphosphite containing from 2 to 1000 repeating units of the formula: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which:
 R 2  is selected from the group consisting of
 C 1-20  alkyl, C 03-22  alkenyl, C 6-40  cycloalkyl, C 6  aryl, C 6-40  aryl alkyl and Y—OH; and from 1 to 1000 repeating units of the formula: 
 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which:
 Y is selected from the group consisting of C 2-40  alkylene, C 2-40  alkyl lactone, C 3-40  cycloalkylene, C 6  arylene and C 6-40  aryl alkylene; 
 m ranges from 5 to 20; 
 said copolymeric polyphosphite being terminated adjacent the —P(OR 2 )— group of the formula above by a group R 1 O—, and terminated at the other end of the chain by a group —P(OR 3 )(OR 4 ), in which each of R 1 , R 3 , and R 4 , which may be the same or different and has one of the meanings given for R 2 . 
 
       
     
     
       7. The polymer composition of  claim 6  wherein,
 the synthetic polymer is a polyolefin. 
 
     
     
       8. The polymer composition of  claim 6  wherein
 R 2  comprises a C 6-10  cycloalkyl. 
 
     
     
       9. The polymer composition of  claim 6 , wherein
 Y is a —CH 2 CH 2 — or —CH(CH 3 )CH 2 — group. 
 
     
     
       10. The polymer composition of  claim 6 , wherein
 R 2  is a C 10-20  alkyl group. 
 
     
     
       11. A polymer composition which comprises
 a polyolefin polymer, and 
 a homopolymeric polyphosphite containing from 15 to 1000 repeating units of the formula: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which:
 R 2  is selected from the group consisting of
 C 1-20  alkyl, C 3-22  alkenyl, and C 2-20  polyalkylene glycol chain terminated by a C 1-4  alkyl group; 
 said polyphosphite being terminated adjacent the —P(OR 2 )— group of the formula above by a group R 1 O—, and terminated at the other end of the chain by a group —P(OR 3 )(OR 4 ), in which each of R 1 , R 3 , and R 4 , which may be the same or different, has one of the meanings given for R 2 ; 
 said homopolymeric polyphosphite having a weight average molecular weight from 6,000 to 100,000. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The polymer composition of  claim 11 , wherein
 the C 2-20  polyalkylene glycol chain terminated by a C 1-4  alkyl group is selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene glycol terminated by a methyl group and a tripropylene glycol terminated by a butyl group. 
 
     
     
       13. The polymer composition of  claim 11 , wherein R 2  is a C 10-20  alkyl group.